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AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Have 40 Wins Again & Home Ice Through At Least One Round

April 5, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


The Sound Tigers clinched home-ice advantage through the division semifinals of the upcoming playoffs and notched their third straight 40-win season by going 3-0-1 this week outlasting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3-2 in overtime at home Wednesday, tying the red-hot Manchester Monarchs 2-2 on the road Friday, beating the Hershey Bears 3-2 at home Saturday and blanking the Albany River Rats 6-0 at home Sunday. The Sound Tigers finished last week in second place in the East Division with 94 points and a 40-23-10-4 record, including 20-10-6-2 at home and 20-13-4-2 on the road.

WED MAR 31st vs. WIL, 3-2 OTW: RYAN KRAFT made it 1-0 Sound Tigers 1:15 into the game. MARQUIS MATHIEU, in the first period, and TOBY PETERSEN, in the third period, put Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on top 2-1. However, ROB COLLINS tied the game mid-way through the third period, and JEFF HAMILTON added his League-leading 39th goal of the season and AHL single-season-record-resetting 15th game-winner inside the final half-minute of overtime. COLE JARRETT also had two assists, and DIETER KOCHAN made 21 saves. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 7 on the power play and had a 24-23 shots on goal advantage. The Penguins were 0 for 4 on the power play.

FRI APR 2nd at MCH, 2-2 T: The Sound Tigers never trialed in the game. JEFF HAMILTON and LUKE CURTIN had a goal and an assist apiece as the teams traded goals twice in a span of 8:21 in the second period. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 3 on the power play and 3 for 3 on the penalty kill. Manchester had a 29-24 shots on goal advantage.

SAT APR 3rd vs. HER, 3-2: BLAINE DOWN and MARTIN KARIYA had a goal and an assist each with Kariya scoring the game-winner with 1:53 left in the third period, JEFF HAMILTON scored once, BEN GUITE had two assists, and DIETER KOCHAN made 33 saves. TRAVIS BRIGLEY, shorthanded, and CHRIS BALA scored for Hershey. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 6 on the power play, 2 for 2 on the penalty kill and won despite being outshot 35-31.

SUN APR 4th vs. ALB, 6-0 W: KEVIN COLLEY tied a franchise single-game record with four points on a goal and three assists; ROB COLLINS also tied a franchise single-game record with three assists; DEREK BEKAR scored twice and added an assist; CAIL MacLEAN, MARTIN KARIYA and JEFF HAMILTON scored once each; and SCOTT STIRLING made 21 saves in his first appearance with the Sound Tigers this season and now has two shutouts in two AHL games this year. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 4 on the power play, 4 for 4 on the penalty kill and outshot Albany 32-21.

SOUND TIGERS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – G DIETER KOCHAN Kochan ran his unbeaten streak to four games at 3-0-1 and is now on a two-game home-ice win streak after stopping 81 of the 87 shots he faced, including a 33-save effort Saturday. He was 2-0-1 with a 1.95 goals against average and .931 save percentage in three games last week. Kochan, who had started six straight games until yesterday, is ranked fourth among the League's leading goaltenders with a 1.91 goals against average and is 19-17-6 with a career-high five shutouts and a .931 save percentage in 43 AHL games this season. He was also recalled by Islanders in December.

THIS WEEK – Sound Tigers Chase Division Title As Regular Season Ends The Sound Tigers will finish the regular season with three games in four days this week hosting the Norfolk Admirals Thursday and the Philadelphia Phantoms in a possible showdown for the East Division Championship Saturday. The Sound Tigers will visit Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Sunday in a possible East Division Semifinal preview .

THU APR 8th vs. NOR, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the eighth and final meeting of the teams, the fourth in Bridgeport, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 3-6 all-time, 3-4 this season, versus Norfolk who begins this week in the fifth and final East Division playoff spot with 77 points and a 34-34-4-5 record, including 12-19-3-3 on the road. The Admirals do play again before Thursday.

SAT APR 10th vs. PHI, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the eighth and final meeting of the teams, the fourth in Bridgeport, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 7-7-1 all-time, 3-3-1 this season, versus Philadelphia who sits four points ahead of them in first place in the East Division with 98 points and a 45-24-6-2 record, including 21-13-3-0 on the road. The Phantoms will visit Albany Friday. Philadelphia has a magic number of two points to clinch the East Division Championship. The Phantoms also hold the first tiebreaker of more wins than Sound Tigers should the teams finish the regular season tied for first place.

SUN APR 11th at WIL, 5:05 p.m.: This will be the eighth and final meeting of the teams, the fourth in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 7-2 all-time versus the Penguins, including 5-2 this season with two overtime wins at home and one road loss in the extra session. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has clinched a playoff berth and begins this week in third place in the East Division with 83 points and a 34-28-8-7 record, including 19-14-3-2 at home. The Penguins will host the Binghamton Senators Wednesday and visit the Hartford Wolf Pack Saturday.

SOUND TIGERS SPECIAL TEAMS; AHL RANK

Power Play – 48 for 380, 12.6%; t-20th Shorthanded Goals Against – 10

Penalty Kill – 286 for 317, 90.2%; 1st Shorthanded Goal For – 9

SOUND TIGERS STREAKS

The Sound Tigers have clinched their third straight playoff berth. • The Sound Tigers are unbeaten in five games at 4-0-1, have won two games in a row and three straight at home, and are unbeaten in two straight road games at 1-0-1. • The Sound Tigers have not allowed a power-play goal in the last five games killing 19 straight shorthanded situations in that time. • G DIETER KOCHAN is unbeaten in four games in a row at 3-0-1 and has won two straight home games. • RW/C JEFF HAMILTON (4g,1a) is on a four-game goal and point streak. • RW/C MARTIN KARIYA (2g,1a) is on a two-game goal and point streak. • C BLAINE DOWN (1g,2a) is on a two-game assist and point streak. • C JUSTIN MAPLETOFT (3g,3a) is on a four-game point streak but is out of the lineup with an ankle injury.

SOUND TIGERS TRANSACTIONS

G SCOTT STIRLING was recalled from the ECHL's Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies, D STEVE MUNN was released from a professional tryout contract, and D VINCE MACRI was released from an amateur tryout contract last Tuesday. • RW WES GODLIE and G SEBASTIEN LAPLANTE were released from PTOs Sunday, March 28th. • G JIM SANCA was released from an ATO Saturday, March 27th. • RW STEVE WEBB was recalled by the Islanders Friday, March 26th. • G WADE DUBIELEWICZ was recalled by the Islanders Thursday, March 25th. • LW/C LUKE CURTIN signed a PTO Wednesday, March 24th. • RW/C BRENT GAUVREAU was released from a PTO Tuesday, March 9th. • The Islanders traded D ALAIN NASREDDINE to the Pittsburgh Penguins Monday, March 8th in exchange for RW STEVE WEBB. • D JAY LEACH was re-signed to a PTO Wednesday, March 3rd. • LW MIKE SOUZA signed a PTO Friday, February 20th.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & PROMOTIONAL NEWS

2004 Playoff Ticket Strip Packages are on sale to all fans by calling 203-334-GOAL. • The Sound Tigers Foundation has donated 100 tickets to Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now, Inc. • GRAHAM BELAK and CAIL MacLEAN will visit St. Lawrence School in Huntington tomorrow at 1 p.m. • KEVIN COLLEY and Community Relations Manager AMY CASERTA will visit the United Church of Christ Youth Group in Rowayton Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. • The Team Mascot STORM will visit Jane Ryan School in Trumbull Thursday at 11 a.m. • The final "Family Four Pack Night" will be this Thursday when Norfolk visits at 7:05 p.m. "Family Four Packs" can be purchased by calling 203-334-GOAL. • This Thursday will also be "Stamford Family Fun Night" with specially-priced tickets for employees and residents of Stamford available by calling 203-334-GOAL. • Barnum Financial Group Kids' Club members can purchase $5 tickets to this Thursday's game by printing the form on the Sound Tigers web site and taking it to the Harbor Yard box office. · It will be "Fan Appreciation Night" when Philadelphia visits this Saturday at 7:05 p.m. • The Sound Tigers will giveaway 1,500 fan frames featuring STORM and JEFF HAMILTON this Saturday. • HealthSouth will raffle off a team-autographed replica jersey this Saturday.

SOUND TIGERS BROADCASTS

All games are web cast live at www.soundtigers.com where fans can email Voice of the Sound Tigers BILL McLAUGHLIN.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

The Sound Tigers are scheduled to practice at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard this Tuesday through Saturday at 10 a.m. each day. • Call 203-334-GOAL to confirm practice times and locations or with any special media requests.

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